ss420's journal #3...

i wondered the same thing WB.... i think the ballast would still try to pull its full power load as it normally does... the dimmer would just limit the actual amount of power reaching the ballast... but the ballast itself would still be attempting to pull full power.. i dont know what kind of problems that would cause.. probably just burn out the dimmer.....

I thought the dimmer was in between the ballast and the lamp, not the wall and the ballast........... But maybe you are thinking the same and would still happen..... Looking forward to MG's findings .......

if it was between the ballast and the bulb.. unless the dimmer can, or they make dimmers that can, handle a 400w+ load if would for sure fry the dimmer.... in no time...

Yea, I thought of that, but I figured MG had a beefy one or something.....

i've become somewhat laxed with my grow now... i feel comfortable enough that i dont spend as much time as i should up there... or at least as much time i used to.. i still visit them daily.. but my check ups on them are much quicker than before... i suppose its from repetition and experience...

so i decided i spend a little extra time up there with them today.. its only been a couple days since i did that video and already that spot i stood in during it was almost grown over.. i was close to having limbs in the fan... so i spent some time moving the girls out... so now there is officially no floor space.. lol guess i could have worse problems...

height is going to be an issue soon... the hps lamps dont keep the plants near as tight as the satellite floros do.. so the middle ones are a bit taller than the outter girls.. i may end up having to play musical sites and move some plants to different sites... it really makes me wish i had 2 more floros instead of the hps...

but it also makes me excited for flowering.. i know i have an extra 25 to 30 square feet in there to use.. which will for sure get filled in.. i just think it will be as packed in there as they are right now... i will have to work on securing plants early.. i wont have much space very long at all...

i use a stanley blower fan to blow air into my grow room.. all the veg girls get hit with a TON of fast moving air (which is one reason i think wind burn is a load of shit)... this makes their stems super fucking strong.. so im hoping that in the end they wont need much help holding up their flowers.. but i am sure they will...

anyways.. those are still pipe dreams.. a ways away... i still have to let the autos finish flowering.. 3 or 4 weeks i am hoping... they are just starting to hit full flower... so i dont imagine it will be long... today is the end of week 5... so they should start flowering pretty heavily....

gotta think about taking cuttings in the next few weeks... decide which girls i like the best... all that good shit....

Just watched the video. I understand your setup a lot more now..... Looking damn good in there. Those plants in the flowering room with the leaves that point straight up are crazy........... Keep it up.......

its only a few of them in the back of the flower room that are doing it.. i think its because its warmer in the back than in the front... i need a stronger fan.. or another fan... to help get more air movement in the back for the next flowering..

I like them, had to pause and look at them. What did you pull last run out of there?

well...

my last run was my first hydro run ever...

i used just my veg side.. so the floros and the 2 x 400w hps... to veg and flower...

off of 9 plants i pulled about 4.5 ounces per plant.. it was close to 2.5 lbs total i believe... and they werent near as nice as or big as these are... well the vegging girls... i am hoping to quadruple that this time...

the autos look like i should get a few ounces off of each of them... or better.. its hard to say for sure tho.. i dont know how comparable mine are to others... i havent really seen any grown out before.. or that look like mine do if they have been grown out.. so its a mystery to me still..

wonderblunder said:

Sounds good MG, I see a possible flaw. So By adding the dimmer in between the bulb and the ballast, you would be restricting how much energy the ballast is giving to the bulb. Still using the same amount of juice as the ballast is rated for unlike dimmable ballasts(unless they are scam) . I would think that the bulb would dim and but ballast working as normal, or would the ballast adjust? Looking forward to your info. Would love to build dimmers right into the flip flop box.......... That would be sweet.
I plan on making a few tutorials once things start arriving......

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im hoping that it will work. i don't see why it would not, hell your useing a dimmer switch to dim your house lights. trial and error, ya it will cut backon the power to the bulb not the ballast. if i cut down the power to the ballast i don't think it would fire up the bulb. but i will be installing one b4 and after at the same time to see. i do think the switable ballast are pretty much the samething. i belive it all after the ballas though

simpsonsampson420 said:

i wondered the same thing WB.... i think the ballast would still try to pull its full power load as it normally does... the dimmer would just limit the actual amount of power reaching the ballast... but the ballast itself would still be attempting to pull full power.. i dont know what kind of problems that would cause.. probably just burn out the dimmer.....

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if you have a 1000wt switchable ballast and you cut down to what did you say 750 wtt well the ballast still needs the full power to work your just cut back the powerto the light. im almost sure of it

simpsonsampson420 said:

if it was between the ballast and the bulb.. unless the dimmer can, or they make dimmers that can, handle a 400w+ load if would for sure fry the dimmer.... in no time...

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i have used 101 volt timersfor 220 volt ballast with no burn outs. dimmers can handle a few amps.

Hey buddy, looks like you have things ready to grow. Do you ever soil grows or cfl? Take a look at my posts and see if you can throw me any pointers. you seem pretty knowledgeable. Good luck on the kids!

ill check out your posts bro... let ya know what i think..

i used to grow soil.. but made the switch over.. very glad to have made it....

i use satellite IV floros.. but thats the closest thing to CFLs i use...

morning bro, well one confirmed male so far this morning. just put two more crystles in the flower room. im going to through some more bean down get them ready for the out door. its sneaking up on us pretty fast. it well be here b4 we know it.

sucks about the male.. at least you have a few more you can replace it with.. keep things going... it is about time to start thinking about outdoor some huh?? at least getting some girls vegging for outdoor transplant... hope this year works out better than last for ya...

mygirls said:

if you have a 1000wt switchable ballast and you cut down to what did you say 750 wtt well the ballast still needs the full power to work your just cut back the powerto the light. im almost sure of it

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So you are reducing bulb temperature only, not ballast temperature? Sounds good to me......

I think I better get my outdoor prepped. When is the last frost for you guys? Or when you can transplant outside?

wonderblunder said:

So you are reducing bulb temperature only, not ballast temperature? Sounds good to me......

I think I better get my outdoor prepped. When is the last frost for you guys? Or when you can transplant outside?

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it actually cuts the power the ballast itself uses.... which limits what goes to the actual bulb...

i have them set at 750w each.. so 3000w total between the 4 of them... so they are only pulling 3000w of power to the ballasts and thusly to the bulbs...

if i turn them up to 1000w each, then they will pull that extra 250ws per hour and be running at full strength...

the dimmable ballasts have the ability to change the power they pull and use... so bulb temps are down... ballast temps are down.. but in all honesty.. my digi ballasts stay cool enough i can touch them without burning at all...

i may get some autos and try outdoors this year.. i normally dont grow outside.. not legal where im at.. but typically planters try to get their beans down in late march, early april around here....

mr773 said:

hey simpson where can i get chem dog i wanna put some beans on!!!!!!!!!!!

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http://www.cannabis-seeds-bank.co.uk/greenhouse-seeds/greenhouse-seeds-feminized/green-house-seeds-chemdog-feminized/prod_797.html

they are out of stock.. im sure you can find them on another seed bank site tho.. i just prefer to order through attitude....

simpsonsampson420 said:

sucks about the male.. at least you have a few more you can replace it with.. keep things going... it is about time to start thinking about outdoor some huh?? at least getting some girls vegging for outdoor transplant... hope this year works out better than last for ya...

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well if it better then last year you better be making a road trip this year no excuses. i will definitely be needing some help